The cash-strapped fire service had to deal with more than double the normal rate of wildfires this summer.

As the region recovers from a season in which several huge mountain blazes wreaked havoc in North Wales, figures have revealed a large rise in the number crews had to deal with.

Following the hot and dry summer, which saw wildfires spring up across the region, the figures have revealed North Wales Fire and Rescue Service dealt with 446 wildfires between May and July this year.

This compares with 188 the previous year, and 87 in 2016.

The figures were uncovered as part of a Press Association investigation.

Fire rages close to the horseshoe pass at Llantysilio mountain near Llangollen. Photo by Ian Cooper (Image: North Wales Daily Post)

The fire service previously warned about the impact such fires have on resources.

Kevin Roberts, senior fire safety manager at the fire service, previously said: "These fires place tremendous pressure on our resources, with firefighters tied up for a considerable length of time working to bring them under control.

Summer wildfires

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service

"Quite often they also happen in areas where access is extremely difficult and water supply is limited."

They also warned against people starting deliberate fires, the cause of several of the blazes in North Wales this summer.

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Firefighters have warned they are under-funded, short-staffed and ill-equipped to deal with an increase in wildfires.

Fire on Mynydd Cilgwyn at Carmel on July 3, 2018 (Image: Josie Russell)

A spokesman for the Fire Brigade Union said: "The growing risk of grass fires represents another strain on the dwindling resources of fire and rescue services currently experiencing severe budget cuts across the country.

"Fire services do not receive enough funding to respond to an increase on this scale."

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A Home Office spokesman called the efforts of firefighters this year "astounding", adding that fire services have the required support and equipment "to fight these kind of fires".

Large sections of the country went without rain for months this year, and satellite imagery showed the usually green image of the verdant British Isles turn to a dry yellow and brown.

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Chris Lowther, operations lead at the National Fire Chiefs Council, called the summer's weather "exceptional" but added "we can't ignore the longer-term impact of climate change on fire services".

"We have seen an increase in the number of fires in recent years alongside a 21 per cent reduction in the number of wholetime firefighters since 2011. It is vital the communities fire services represent have confidence in their emergency services," he said.

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Most of the fires were small, but some were huge and required a major response.

Karen Lee MP, shadow fire and emergencies minister, said: "Climate change is a very real and visible threat to our communities and landscapes. The threats are changing while the fire service's ability to respond is being degraded.

Firefighters called to Bangor Mountain blaze (Image: UGC TNW)

"The Conservative government are not taking the public's safety seriously. While large disasters such as the Saddleworth and Tameside fire devastated our grassland, fire services across the UK have seen swingeing cuts to their budgets and the total number of firefighters has been cut by nearly 12,000 since 2010.

"You can't keep the public safe on a shoe-string budget. If the Conservatives are not going to take the public's safety seriously, they should make way for a party that will."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The tireless efforts of firefighters to contain wildfires this summer have been astounding.

A large fire has broken out on Holyhead Mountain on Sunday. Drone footage from the scene. (Image: LR Drone Media)

"We have made sure fire and rescue services have the support and equipment required to successfully fight these types of fires.

"We support FRSs by providing specialist capabilities for the largest emergencies, including high volume pumps and the National Resilience team of specialist experts. Soldiers have also been deployed to tackle these incidents."